Entrance for chutes of coinoperated devices



May 27, 1952 J. B. PILLATSCH 2,598,010

ENTRANCE FOR CHUTE OF COIN-OPERATED DEVICES Filed April 26, 1950 INVENTOR.

Patented May 27, 1952 ENTRANCE FOR 'CHUTES F COIN- OPERATED DEVICES J ohn B. vPillatsch,Aurora, Ill., assignorto Silver- King; Corp a corporationof Illinois Application April 26, 1950, Serial No. 158,122v

3 Claims.

1 This invention relates tocoin operated devices and the. principal object of the invention is to provide a simple means for preventing the device fromv becoming. clogged by the deliberate or mischievous insertion of foreign material in the coin slots.

This is accomplished in the present invention by providing a gap between the coin plate and the chute which carries the coin to another part of the device, and the. coin plate is provided with coin-projecting means so that when a coin is inserted in the slot, it will be projected across the gap into the chute.

Another object of the invention therefore is to provide a simple, rugged, inexpensive means for projecting the coin across the gap.

Further and other objects and advantages will becomeapparent as the disclosure proceeds and the description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figurev 1 is a sectional elevational view of a coin-operated device, in this instance a gum-dispensing machine, embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the coin plate showing a preferred means for projecting the coin across a gap ;v

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken i on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 illustrates another means for projecting the coin; and

Figure 6 shows still another way in which the coin may be projected into the adjoining chute.

It will be understood that the choice of certain preferred forms of the invention for illustration and description is in compliance with Section 4888 of the Revised Statutes.

In the operation of gum and candy-dispensing machines, it has been found that children will mischievously stick paper and other foreign objects into the coin slots and usually this will result in the mechanism becoming jammed so that servicing of the machine is necessary. The present invention provides a simple solution to this maintenance problem.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character l0 designates generally a coin-operated machine having a casing I I provided with side walls l2 and [3, a rear wall l4 and an inclined bottom wall I5. The front of the casing is closed by a cover I6 which carries a coin plate, generally designated l1, and which has an opening 18 to receive the front end of a'push button cylinder l9 suitably mounted. by a bracket. 20 on the side walls of the casing ll.

The means for securing the front wall of the casing in place is no part of the present invention and need notbe particularly described.

The gum or similar article to be dispensed .is stacked, as indicated at 2|, ina magazine 22, the magazine being divided in a plurality of vertical compartments corresponding with the position of the coin slots 23 in the coin plate- I1. Similarly; a coin chute 24 is divided into a plurality of vertical compartments which are likewise-aligned with. the slots 23, and, each coin chute has; a lower inclined lip 25 for a purpose thatwill later be described. It will be noticed that the forward faces of" the coinchutes 24 are spaced from the coin plate I! to provide a gap 23 so that there is no continuous conduit. between each coin slot- 23. and the corresponding chute 24.

The coin plate I1. isv preferably formed, as shown in Figure 4, to provide, aseries of annular protuberances 2'! extending forwardly from, the coin plate and with semi-spherical embossments 28 extending rearwardly from the plate. The

coin slots are preferably horizontal and. flanking the ends of each slot are helical springs 29 which are anchored to the top and bottom of the. plate I I by hooks 3!], the adjacent portion of the front wall casting being recessed, as indicated at 31, to accommodate the hooks. The plate I1 is secured to the front wall I6 by screws 32, or other suitable means.

When a coin 33 of appropriate size is inserted in one of the slots 23, the adjacent springs are bowed outwardly, as shown in Figure 3, and as soon as the coin is inserted far enough so that f the line of contact between the springs 29 and the coin 33 passes the mid point of the coin, the tension of the springs will propel the coin inwardly across the gap 26 to the chute 24 where the coin will be carried by gravity down a passageway 34 to an operating position within a coin bar 35 which may be moved rearwardly to eject one of the articles 2| from the magazine 22 when the plunger 36 is moved rearwardly against the tension of the spring 31.

It will be seen that a portion of the coin 33, when it rests within the slot 38 provided in the coin bar 35, projects above the upper surface of the bar so that when the bar 35 is moved rearwardly by pressing the button 36 inwardly, the protruding portion of the coin will move the lowermost article 2| from the magazine and deposit it in the areaway 39 where it drops onto the inclined wall [5 from which it may be removed through the hand slot 40 in the front wall of the casing. As the bottom article is deposited in the areaway 39, the coin 33 is moved over a slot 41 provided in a chute 42 and the coin then drops into a lower compartment 43.from which it may be removed by a properly authorized person.

Rearward movement of the plunger 36 moves the entire bar 35 rearwardly but articles are dispensed from the magazine 22 only when a coin is in operative position within one of the slots 38, and this can occur only when a coin has been projected across the gap 26 into the chute 24. If a coin is not projected far enough, it will fall on the inclined lip 25 and drop to the lower inclined wall l5 from which it may be removed through the hand opening 40.

It will be seen that only when a coin of appropriate size is moved through the slot 23 will the springs 29 function to project it into the coin chute 24, and should some smaller diameter coin be placed in the slot inadvertently, the coin will not be projected with sufiicient force to pass the lip 44 of the chute 24 and will therefore be returned to the person inserting the coin. The size of the slot limits the maximum diameter of the coin, and if the coin is too small, it will not be projected far enough to pass the lip 44, so that the arrangement operates, at least to some extent, as a coin selector.

It is obvious that when paper or other nonrigid objects are placed in the slot 23, they will not be projected into the chute 24, but will fall by gravity to the bottom plate I5, causing no harm to the machine.

Although helical springs of the type shown in Figures 3 and 4 are preferred because of their simplicity, there are other ways in which the coin may be projected across the gap 26. For example, in Figure 5, plungers 45 are mounted in guideways 46 and are yieldingly urged inwardly by springs 47. The plungers 45 have coin-receiving slots 48, and when the coin passes the rear margin of the plungers, it ispropelled across the gap 26 by the tension of the springs 41.

In Figure 6, small leaf springs 49, riveted or otherwise secured to the coin plate I7, are used for projecting the coins inwardly across the gap 26.

I claim:

1. In a coin-operated device, the combination 0 of a coin plate having a slot therein to receive a coin, a coin chute spaced from the coin plate, and coin-projecting means associated with the plate for propelling a coin across the gap between the plate and the chute, said means including a pair of helical springs positioned transversely to the slot along the inner face of the plate and having a portion of each spring lying within the path of coins passed through the slot whereby the springs are tensioned when a coin of appropriate size passes between them.

2. A coin plate for coin-operated machines, said plate having a coin slot therethrough, and a pair of helical springs positioned transversely to the slot along the inner face of the plate and having .a portion of each spring lying within the path of coins passed through the slot whereby the springs are tensioned when a coin of appropriate size passes between them.

3. A coin plate for coin-operated machines, said plate having a coin slot therethrough, and a pair of helical springs positioned transversely to the slot along the inner face of the plate and having a portion of each spring lying within the path of coins passed through the slot whereby the springs are tensioned when a coin of appropriate size passes between them, the ends of said springs having hooks thereon engaging notches in the top and bottom margins of the plate.

JOHN B. PILLATSCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 434,109 Harris Aug. 12, 1390 1,204,790 Kusel Nov. 14', 1916 1,640,569 Halverson et al Aug. 30, 1927 1,677,893 Hiltz July 24, 1928 1,684,863 Grant Sept. 18, 1928 1,701,163 Sandkuhl Feb. 5, 1929 1,753,197 Beddard Apr. 8, 1930 2,408,997 Rhodes Oct. 8, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 246,934 Great Britain Feb. 11, 1926 356,868 Great Britain Sept. 17, 1931 460,442 Great Britain Jan. 26, 1937 

